School Improvement Information Sheet School Year 2008-2009

No Child Left Behind, Title I
School Improvement Information Sheet
School Year 2008-2009

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) requires
states to implement a single accountability system. The accountability requirements under
NCLB were built on the foundation of the former Improving Americas Schools Act (IASA). Specific information about the NCLB Accountability System is provided in the
following documents:

Adequate yearly progress (AYP) must be calculated for all New Jersey
schools under the provisions of NCLB. Schools that do not meet AYP as defined under NCLB
are placed into one of the following categories. Title I schools must implement the
sanctions for each category.

Early Warning: A school that does not make AYP for one year is
placed into "early warning" status. If a school does not make AYP for two
consecutive years in the same content area, it will be identified as a school in need of
improvement.

Year 2 - In Need of Improvement/School Choice: A school that does
not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same content area is designated as a
"school in need of improvement." Certain interventions apply, including
intradistrict school choice (or SES), parental notification, and development of a school
improvement plan for Title I schools (incorporated into the Title I Unified Plan). The
district must offer the school technical assistance to address the areas that caused the
school to be in improvement.

Year 3 - In Need of Improvement/Supplemental Educational Services
(SES): A school that does not make AYP for three consecutive years in the same content
area continues to be identified as a "school in need of improvement." The Title
I school must continue to offer intradistrict school choice and must also offer SES
to eligible students. Technical assistance must continue to be offered by the district,
parents must receive notification of the schools status, and the school improvement
plan (Title I Unified Plan) must be revised.

Year 4 - Corrective Action: A school that does not make AYP for
four consecutive years in the same content area is identified as a school in corrective
action. The Title I school must continue to offer intradistrict school choice and SES,
notify parents of the schools status, revises its school improvement plan (Title I
Unified Plan), and receive technical assistance from the district and the state.

The district must take at least one of the following corrective actions:

Provide, for all relevant staff, appropriate, scientifically research-based
professional development that is likely to improve academic achievement of low-performing
students.

Institute a new curriculum grounded in scientifically based research and provide
appropriate professional development to support its implementation.

Extend the length of the school year or school day.

Replace the school staff who are deemed relevant to the school not making adequate
progress.

Significantly decrease management authority at the school.

Restructure the internal organization of the school.

Appoint one or more outside experts to advise the school (1) how to revise and
strengthen the improvement plan it created while in school improvement status; and (2) how
to address the specific issues underlying the schools continued inability to make
AYP.

The state offers school support by engaging a team of experienced
professionals to conduct an extensive school review called Collaborative Assessment and
Planning for Achievement (CAPA). The CAPA team interviews stakeholders and staff, reviews
school and district documents, and conducts on-site observations to develop a report that
contains recommendations for school improvement, which then becomes part of the Title I
Unified Plan.

Year 5 - Planning for Restructuring: A Title I school that does not
make AYP for five consecutive years in the same content area must plan to restructure. The
restructuring plan is implemented at the beginning of the following school year if the
school continues to miss AYP benchmarks. During the planning year, the Title I school must
continue to offer intradistrict school choice and SES, notify parents of the schools
status and invite their input during the restructuring process, and receive technical
assistance from the district and the state. The technical assistance design for a school
being restructured emphasizes the following:

The importance of improving instruction by using strategies grounded in
scientifically based research so that all children in the school achieve proficiency in
the core academic subjects of reading and mathematics.

The importance of analyzing and applying data in decision-making.

The restructuring plan must include one of the following alternative governance systems
for the school as outlined by NCLB regulations and consistent with New Jersey practice and
statutes:

Implement any major restructuring of the schools governance that is consistent
with the principles of restructuring as set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act.

Re-open the school as a public charter school as defined by state statute and
regulation (N.J.S.A. 18A:36A-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 6A).

Replace all or most of the school staff, which may include the principal, who are
relevant to the schools inability to make adequate progress (consistent with
existing contractual provisions and applicable statutory protections in Title 18A).

Year 6  Restructuring-1: A Title I school that does not make
AYP for six consecutive years in the same content area must implement the approved
restructuring plan. The Title I school must continue to offer intradistrict school choice
and SES, notify parents of the schools status and invite their input and support
during the implementation process, and receive technical assistance from the district and
the state. Technical assistance is critical to help school staff remain focused on
increasing student achievement while the school is adjusting to potentially radical
changes in its administration and governance structures.

Year 7  Restructuring-2: The school has not made AYP for
seven consecutive years and is now in restructuring for the second year. The NJDOE meets
with school and district administrators to continually review implementation of the
restructuring plan/Title I Unified Plan.

Year 8  Restructuring - 3: The school has not made AYP for
eight consecutive years and is now in restructuring for the third year. The NJDOE meets
with school and district administrators to continually review implementation of the
restructuring plan/Title I Unified Plan.

Removal from Early Warning/Improvement Status: To be removed from
early warning or improvement status, the school must make AYP for two consecutive years in
the content area that caused the school to go into status, providing the school makes AYP
in the other content area. The first year of making AYP is a "hold year" and the
school does not progress to the next intervention level, but must continue to
implement current interventions. If the school does not make AYP the year following
"hold," it goes back into improvement status at the level prior to the hold
year.

NCLB/Title I
School Improvement Continuum Chart2008-2009

Year

Status

Interventions for Title I Schools

Year 1

Early Warning  Did not make AYP for
one year

None

Year 2

First year of school in need of improvement status.
Did not make AYP for two consecutive years in the same content area.